37 million

GVC Holdings says the UK government’s imminent four-week national lockdown will cost the FTSE100 company an estimated £37m. 

England’s retail closure will cost the FTSE betting group a reported £27m, while the closure of its Eurobet Italia and Ladbrokes BE subsidiaries will cost £10m.

However, should the governments of Wales and Scotland replicate lockdown enforcements, a full UK retail closure would cost the company £34m – leading to combined UK and European retail losses of £43m.

66 

MGM Resorts International recorded net revenues of $1.1bn in the three months to September 30, a 66 per cent drop against the same period in 2019. The hardest hit properties were in Las Vegas and Macau, where flagship resorts were only partially open during the period and, even then, with footfall significantly down due to social distancing measures.

Net revenues for MGM China were down a whopping 94 per cent year on year, to $47m while Vegas revenues dropped 68 per cent against Q3 2019, to $481m. However, CEO Bill Hornbuckle founds grounds for optimism in both MGM’s resilience during the pandemic and also the ongoing success of the BetMGM joint venture with GVC Holdings.

1.25 million

Las Vegas’ Circa Resort and Casino, the first Vegas resort-casino built from the ground up in four decades, has officially opened.

The 1.25 million square-foot, adults-only property is lauded as paying homage to Vegas’ ‘Golden Era’ through vintage design, ‘old-school hospitality’ and nods to the city’s history while also laying claim to ‘high-tech advancements and cutting-edge amenities’.

Conceived by developer and CEO Derek Stevens, Circa’s opening marks a series of firsts and achievements for Las Vegas:

48

NatWest has introduced a gambling block on debit cards, giving customers the option to trigger a 48-hour cooling off period via their mobile banking app. Any transactions attempted during that time will be declined, with the block remaining in place indefinitely unless a customer chooses to remove it, in which case it can only be disabled after the
48-hour period.

Anna Hemmings, CEO of GamCare, praised the move. “The ability to block gambling transactions through your bank card or app is an important tool for those struggling with their gambling, and is ideally used together with other practical tools such as self-exclusion, blocking software, and specialist support around the issue,” she said.

“GamCare is pleased to see NatWest take this positive step to support their customers and we hope more of the financial sector follows suit.”

52

Zamba.co, the Colombian online gaming brand from Gaming1 is offering players in the country a wide range of games from Evolution Gaming, the first time live casino has been available in Colombia.

Zamba is now able to offer Colombian players 52 games from the Evolution catalogue, including roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and the studio’s signature gameshows.

“I am incredibly proud of the outstanding agility demonstrated by our world-class teams and am of course delighted that we are the first operator to offer the market live casino,” noted Sylvain Boniver, COO & co-founder of Gaming1.

The post MGM Resorts, GVC, NatWest and Circa: <br> The week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

6

BetGames.TV has launched 6+ Poker, a game featuring a reduced 36-card deck, that continues its ‘unique’ approach to delivering a fresh take on existing casino games.

Both “subtly and radically” different from a traditional poker hand, the concept of 6+ Poker is based on a variation of the popular standard ‘Hold Em’ version. 

The standard rules of the game, said the company’s COO Aiste Garneviciene, have been tweaked for “absolute user interaction, encapsulating an individual look, feel and gameplay”.

Each draw consists of a 36-deck card with the lowest card number being a six. Big hands are in play much more often because of the increased mathematical probability of winning with, for example, a straight, full house or three of a kind.

BetGames.TV CCO Richard Hogg is thrilled at the prospect of the new game taking the market by storm and explained that in the industry of iGaming, a company must always look to create “new win-opportunities” for stakeholders.

“The game is based on creating a feeling of winning big especially with 36 cards in the deck and non-stop action,” he added. “There are also highly competitive odds and win-chances.”

163

Penn National Gaming has acquired a 36 per cent stake in Barstool Sports following the completion of an approximate $163m multi-faceted deal.

Unveiling the igaming and sports betting partnership, the casino and racetrack operator becomes Barstool’s exclusive gaming partner for up to 40 years and gains the sole right to utilise the brand for all online and retail sports betting and online casino products.

Jay Snowden, president and chief executive officer of Penn National, said of the announcement: “This exciting new partnership with Barstool Sports reflects our strategy to continue evolving from the nation’s largest regional gaming operator, with 41 properties in 19 states, to a best-in-class omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming and sports betting entertainment.”

After a three year period, Penn will increase its ownership to approximately 50 per cent with an incremental investment of approximately $62m, consistent with the implied valuation at the time of the initial purchase.

Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, commented: “This opportunity is a dream of mine and why I started Barstool Sports in the first place. Barstool Sports has a deep sports and gaming history and from the moment we met Jay and the Penn National team we knew this could be an exciting and game changing partnership and we can’t wait to get started. I think with our shared vision and goals, we are uniquely positioned to be a leader in this business.”

1

Calling on others to join the initiative, BettingUSA.com, the US online gambling affiliate, has pledged to donate one per cent of all earnings to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

The move has been made in order to help minimise the harms that it says ‘will likely occur’ as a result of the expansion of gambling and sports betting in the country.

“NCPG advocates for states to earmark one per cent of gambling revenues to responsible gaming and problem gambling programs, and since most states fall well short of that target, we believe that it is in the best interests of the industry to contribute,” stated Steve Ruddock, analyst and content director at BettingUSA.com’s.

Keith Whyte, NCPG executive director, explained: “The rapid expansion of sports betting and mobile gambling has led to numerous challenges and significant opportunities for everyone involved, including affiliates.

“These gambling affiliates play an important role in the online gambling ecosystem, and they have the unique opportunity to take a leadership role in responsible gambling efforts in the emerging US market.”

27001

Play’n Go, the gaming content developer, has been granted the ISO 27001 certification, an international standard in information security.

Having been awarded this certification, Play’n Go can now guarantee customers they are compliant with national and international regulations (such as GDPR), which in turn minimises the risk of costly penalties and fines. 

Cedric Mallia, security and GDPR manager, discussed the latest certification: “ISO 27001 is a testament to our commitment to our client’s security and well being in the industry. ISO 27001 it is not a mandatory standard, but we are willing to go above and beyond to ensure that we are giving our customers more. 

“It shows we are continuing to build a solid security foundation based upon international standards and best practice, and taking appropriate control measures to protect confidential and privileged information. Clients know they are in the best hands with us.”

The ISO 27001, which is described as ‘a lifestyle that empowers a business to improve its overall information security posture, is awarded to companies that adopt an information security management system that takes into consideration people, processes and systems.

The post A ‘unique’ approach, information security and NCPG: The week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

60m

The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) has announced that Safer Gambling Week 2024 achieved more than 60 million impressions across social media platforms.

This year’s campaign, which took place between 18 and 24 November, had a 21% increase in impressions compared to the previous year, with engagement raising awareness of safer gambling taking place across X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Several cross-party UK MPs, peers and shadow ministers also backed Safer Gambling Week, including Gambling Minister Baroness Fiona Twycross and Shadow DCMS Secretary Stuart Andrew MP.

The campaign was also supported by the UK Gambling Commission and its CEO Andrew Rhodes, in addition to several football clubs including Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton of the Premier League.

The BGC added that the Safer Gambling Week website also received more than half a million visits during the campaign, helping to provide advice on safer gambling tools such as deposit limits and time-outs and directing those who need help to the right resources.

“These outstanding and record-breaking results prove once more that our industry is serious about promoting the safer gambling tools available to customers and signposting the help and support available to those who need it,” commented Grainne Hurst, CEO of the BGC.

€8.05bn

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) has reported a drop in tax revenues from Italian gambling operations in 2024, stating that it collected €8.05bn in gambling taxes as of 30 September 2024. 

This figure marks a 6% decline from the €8.2bn collected during the same period in 2023. For the entirety of 2023, ADM gathered €11.62bn in gambling taxes. If the trend continues, 2024 will be the first year ADM sees a drop in tax revenues, excluding the pandemic-hit year of 2020.

The bulletin detailed a sharp decline in Q3 2024. Gambling tax revenues fell by 16% to €2.22bn, compared to €3.3bn in Q3 2023. ADM linked this drop to a 26% year-on-year decrease in net gambling expenditure, which declined from €5.9bn in Q3 2023 to €4.35bn in Q3 2024.

While gambling revenues fell, the tobacco sector performed strongly, generating €4.18bn in Q3 2024—an increase of 5.77% compared to the previous year.

In the gambling sector, gaming machines remained the largest revenue source, contributing €910m (41%) from net expenditure of €1.26bn. Lotteries and number games followed, adding €870m (39.08%), while betting brought in €180m (8.17%), and other games accounted for €260m (11.64%).

$2.3bn

Analysts in Macau believe that the region will witness an improved December after GGR for last month stood at MOP$18.4bn ($2.30bn).

Despite November finishing relatively strong compared to a slow start, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau declared daily GGR of MOP$615m (US$77m) – a figure on the lower end of monthly GGR for 2024. 

According to Vitaly Umansky, a Senior Analyst at Seaport Research Partners, November is typically a weak month and December should see GGR rise by around 5.2% year-on-year and 5.9% month-on-month to around MOP$19.5bn (US$2.43bn).

Carlo Santarelli, a Stock Analyst from Deutsche Bank, expects a weaker December than Umanskey, predicting a smaller 3% YoY increase in GGR to around MOP$191bn (US$2.39 billion).

He wrote: “Our December forecast represents a monthly sequential per day improvement of 0.4%, which, we note, compares to the 0.7% average sequential per day improvement in December, relative to November, over the period from 2013 through 2019.”

However, this growth could be hindered by the expected visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the inauguration of incoming Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai on 20 December, as presidential events often lead to declines in visitation from mainland China. 

1

HungryBear Gaming has celebrated a ‘game-changing’ milestone as the studio announced that SlotMasters has become the first multiplayer slot to be certified for real money gaming.

Initially launched as a free-to-play product in 2020, SlotMasters has been approved to be available to players in a real-money fashion, and will become available via the studio’s partner Yggdrasil Gaming.  

HungryBear’s CEO and Founder Justin Chamberlain took to LinkedIn to make the “historic” announcement, stating that: “SlotMasters has officially become the first-ever multiplayer slot game certified for real money gaming.

“This achievement is the culmination of tireless dedication from our incredible team and the invaluable guidance and support of our friends and partners across the industry. It’s a testament to what’s possible when passion meets perseverance.

“We’ve always believed in pushing the boundaries of what slot games can be, and this certification marks a new chapter – not just for SlotMasters, but, dare I say it, for the evolution of slots.”

The post Safer Gambling Week, Macau and multiplayer slots: the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

The two studios competed for top spots across top games by GGR charts, top slots, new game rankings and in the supplier charts within Eilers & Krejcik’s November report. 

Meanwhile, Games Global, Pragmatic Play and Light & Wonder (L&W) competed with the US’ two top performers to aim for top spot in the Canadian supplier charts. 

US round-up

For yet another month, IGT’s Cash Eruption slot has continued to remain at the top of Eilers-Fantini’s top slots by GGR charts. The title’s portion of GGR remained at 2.88%, after rising from 2.7 to the current figure between August and October. 

Last month’s third-place finisher in the GGR charts, Buffalo from Aristocrat, rose from third to second, although its GGR share dropped from 1.68% to 1.48%.  

Live Dealer Lightning Roulette from Evolution shot into the top three after not appearing in the top 10 last month, taking third with a 1.46% GGR share. Meanwhile, IGT’s Blackjack title and Evolution’s Live Dealer Crazy Time secured fourth and fifth place finishes with 1.39% and 1.37%, respectively. 

From the top games per GGR, 17 were slot titles, three were table games and five were live casino titles, with no video poker games making the top 25 for just the third time this year.

Proving its dominance once again, Cash Eruption remained in pole position in the top games overall charts, while last month’s eighth-place finisher, Crazy Time from Evolution, hopped into second, replacing IGT’s Blackjack title which dropped to third. 

While Evolution’s Live Dealer Lightning Roulette kept its fifth-place finish, the studio’s Live Dealer Crazy Time title flew into fourth after placing 12th last month.

As a result, the top five was made up of three Evolution games and two IGT titles – with the Crazy Time series appearing twice. 

Only one new title made it into the top 10, as Mystery of the Lamp Treasure Oasis from IGT PlayDigital secured seventh. 

These changes caused a slight shift for last month’s top five finishers, as Capital Gains from AGS fell from fourth to eighth and Gamecode’s Triple Stones dropped from third to ninth. 

IGT also had another good month when it came to the top slots charts, as while Cash Eruption typically kept its first-place finish, the studio’s Mystery of the Lamp Treasure Oasis finished in second place as a new ranking. 

This caused Gamecode’s Triple Stones title to fall from its second-place finish, with the title dropping past Capital Gains in third – the position it finished in October – to fourth. 

Light & Wonder’s Doctor Reactive Mega Drop Low flew into fifth to round out the top five, climbing 16 places after finishing 21st in October. 

For the second month in a row, 12 suppliers were represented in the top slots charts. Light & Wonder, Evolution, Aristocrat, Reel Play, Everi, Inspired and Games Global each had at least one slot appearing in the top 25. 

A majority of new rankings and shifting slots from October’s top 10 made up the top new game rankings, with 1×2 gaming’s new ranking 3 Porky Banks Hold and Win pipping Mystery of the Lamp Treasure Oasis to the post. 

This caused Gamecode’s Triple Stones to finally lose its position at the top of the pile, dropping into third as Playtech’s Breaking Bad Collect Em and Link took fourth as a new ranking. 

Furthermore, Bankin More Bacon from White Hat Studios rounded out the top five as a new ranking. 

7s Fire Blitz from White Hat took sixth after falling from September’s third place, while Lucky Bonanza Cash Spree, a new ranking from Games Global, placed seventh.

Two more new rankings, The Walking Dead Collect Em from Playtech and Games Global’s Immortal Romance 2, took eighth and ninth place respectively, while White Hat Studios’ Lightning Gold rounded out the top 10 by climbing from 19th place last month. 

As per usual, each game that appeared in the top 25 new games was a slot release. 

Evolution led the supplier charts for another month, securing the largest portion of GGR share with 18% (October: 18%). IGT and L&W also kept their positions in the supplier charts with 17% (October: 17.4%) and approximately 13.4% (October: 13.4%), respectively. 

Meanwhile, Games Global regained some of the percentage points it lost last month when it dropped from 8.4% to 7.4%, rising back up to 7.8%, while White Hat gained some traction by coming in with 6.1% (October: 5.6%). 

In terms of total games tracked, slots remained the dominant segment with a total of 91.4%, ahead of table games which stood at 3.3%. 

Instant win was next with 2.3%, just ahead of live casino’s 1.4%, video poker’s 0.9%, lottery’s 0.4% and bingo/keno’s 0.2%. 

Mobile recorded the highest percentage of theoretical win generated per vertical with 72%, followed by desktop at 27.1% and tablet at 0.8%. 

The latest US Eilers-Fantini report examined data from Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut across 28 online casino sites and 67,740 games, representing around 64% of the US market.

Canada figures

Eilers & Krejcik’s Canadian report continues to provide statistics on the nation’s online casino industry, covering nine online casino sites to track 18,105 games across five provinces. 

Yet again, IGT’s Cash Eruption kept its position atop Canada’s most-played games by GGR chart, but with a slight drop in GGR share to 2.03% (September: 2.09%).

For consecutive months, the slot gained a considerable portion of the GGR share compared to the rest of the competition, more than doubling IGT’s Cleopatra title, which climbed from third to second with a 0.91% GGR. 

Last month’s second-place finisher, Live Dealer Roulette by Evolution, dropped into third with a 0.86% GGR share, followed by Light & Wonder’s The Godfather slot which had a 0.83% GGR share. 

Wish Upon a Star from Greentube, came in fifth with a 0.75% GGR share. 

Despite dropping considerably in GGR share, IGT remained ahead of L&W in the Canadian supplier charts, claiming a 15.6% GGR share (October: 17.1%) which pipped L&W’s 13.48% (October: 15.42%).

Games Global just beat Evolution to third, claiming 12.22% of GGR (October: 11.99%). Evolution’s GGR share stood at 11.51%, rising slightly from last month’s 11.4%. 

Pragmatic Play remained in fifth with a 10.39% GGR share, a slight increase on last month’s 10.27%. 

If interested in learning more, subscribing, or participating in the Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Database reach out to Rick Eckert at reckert@ekgamingllc.com.

The post IGT and Evolution dominate November’s Eilers-Fantini report appeared first on CasinoBeats.

2%

IGT declared revenue for Q3 of $587m, down 2% year-over-year (Q3 2023: $601m) and 3% in constant currency (cc). For the year-to-date, ending 30 September, the company reported a revenue of $1.86bn (2023: $1.85bn).

Q3’s revenue was attributed to “sustained momentum in Italy and improved US instant ticket and draw game wagers”.

Gross profit was also down 5% YoY and 7% in cc during the quarter to $263m (2023: $278m), while operating income fell by 33% YoY to $110m (2023: $163m). YTD, gross profit had declined 2% YoY to $882m (2023: $896m), while operating income was down 9% YoY to $507m (2023: $555m).

Operating income was “driven by a $38m restructuring charge associated with OPtiMa 3.0, a program focused on optimising general & administrative and operating activities following transformational actions over the last several years”.

Q3 net income stood at $43m, down from Q3 2023’s $123m. Broken down, income from discontinued operations stood at $88m (2023: $46m), but income from continuing operations fell to a loss of $46m (2023: $77m income).

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was down 6% YoY at $264m (2023: $279m) with a margin of 44.9% (2023: 46.4%). YTD, adjusted EBITDA was down 2% YoY to $880m (2023: $898m) with a margin of 47.3% (2023: 48.6%). IGT noted that the figures highlight the “attractive profit profile of pure play lottery business”.

Reflecting on the Q3 results, CEO Vince Sadusky noted: “Our third-quarter and year-to-date performance underscores the strength and resilience of our business model marked by our scale, attractive margin structure and strong cash generation.

“Over the first nine months, we generated $1.9bn in revenue, led by steady Italy growth and improved third quarter trends in the US. We are excited to build upon a solid foundation as we transform into a leaner, more focused global lottery pure play and capitalise on attractive industry dynamics.”

$3.25bn

Flutter Entertainment declared a 27% year-over-year increase in revenue to $3.25bn (Q3 2023: $2.56bn), while average monthly players (AMPs) grew by 16% to 12.9 million (2023: 11.1 million). Excluding US operations, revenue rose by 15% YoY to $2bn (2023: $1.7bn). 

For the quarter, net loss improved to $114m, up 56% YoY (2023: $262m loss), which the company says was “driven by strong revenue growth”. The net loss “included non-cash impacts of $128m acquired intangibles amortisation charge and $121m fair value loss on Fox Option liability (Q3 2023 $18m gain)”.

Adjusted EBITDA increased by 74% YoY to $450m (2023: $258m) with a margin of 13.9% (2023: 10.1%). Group ex-US adjusted EBITDA rose by 24% to $392m (2023: $313m).

Net cash from operating activities dropped by 48% to $290m (2023: $554m) “primarily due to the impact of derivative settlements in the current and prior year period”. Free cash flow declined by 74% to $112m (2023: $434m).

Jackson commented: “Flutter had an excellent quarter with revenue growth accelerating to 27%, well ahead of market expectations, and increases to our revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2024.”

The group’s 2024 guidance was also raised by 1% across revenue and adjusted EBITDA, reflecting a strong Q3 group ex-US performance.

However, Flutter also said that “excellent US momentum in Q3 has subsequently been more than offset by unfavourable sports results in Q4 to date”.

15

The New Zealand Government has agreed on further details regarding the regulation of online casinos in the country, with 15 operators set to be offered the chance to gain a licence. 

Back in July, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden announced New Zealand’s plans to have a new online casino regulatory system “in place from early 2026”. At the time, the Government stated that the online casino regulation was “designed to minimise harm, support tax collection and provide consumer protections to New Zealanders”.

Online gambling will be prohibited for those aged 18 or over, with operators only able to offer online casino games, not sports betting or lottery. The Department of Internal Affairs will be the regulator.

In addition, licensed gambling operators will be allowed to advertise, but with strict limits in place. Previously, advertising by licensed gambling operators was prohibited. Sponsorship by online casinos will remain illegal.

Providing an update earlier this week, van Velden noted that further decisions have been taken by the New Zealand Government regarding online casino regulation, stating that a new Online Gambling Bill will be drafted.

In July, the Government said that only a limited number would be allocated via auction, each lasting three years and being conditional on meeting regulatory requirements. The total number of licences to be issued has now been revealed to be up to 15.

In addition, the regulatory system will prohibit advertising that appeals to minors, require operators to have age verification systems and the regulator will issue fines of up to NZ$5m (€2.8m) for operators who don’t comply with regulations.

€7m

Gaming Innovation Group has reported more than €7m in revenue for the third quarter of 2024, but an adjusted EBITDA loss of over €1m.

Both of these figures are down compared to the same period last year, with GiG also reporting an operating loss (EBIT) of just under €10m for the quarter.

Despite the results, CEO Richard Carter has voiced optimism for the igaming technology company’s future, expressing Q3 as a “momentous quarter” and that the firm is now “in a better position to expand” its presence in global igaming and sports betting markets.

Publishing its first set of financials since its business split away from Gentoo Media last month, GiG declared revenue of €7.4m, down 21% year-over-year (Q3 2023: €9.3m).

Providing further context on the comparison, the company stated that “2023 results contain €7.8m one-off revenue related to GiG Enterprise Solution sale (2024: €1.3m)”.

Excluding client exits and enterprise revenue, Q3’s underlying revenue stood at €7.3m, up 26% YoY (2023: €5.8m).

During the quarter, GiG also achieved listing on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Stockholm, Sweden, under the ticker GIG SDB.

The company noted that the new listing will “enable management to reinvigorate GiG’s sales and marketing activities to help expand the group’s global client reach”.

15

Meanwhile, Gentoo Media published a 15th consecutive quarter of revenue growth for Q3 2024 following its recent split from GiG. 

Across the third quarter, Gentoo’s revenue grew to €30.4m to represent a 35% growth year-over-year (12% organic) on previous year’s comparatives of €22.5m in Q3 2023. 

Jonas Warrer, Gentoo Media CEO, commented: “I am pleased to present our third quarterly report for 2024, marking yet another record-setting quarter for Gentoo Media, with 15 consecutive quarters of all-time high revenue. 

“Our focused strategy on sustainable, long-term growth – emphasising diversification and increased revenue share earnings – continues to strengthen our business. Despite market volatility, our disciplined approach has proven resilient, driving steady success and positioning us with a competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. 

“We remain confident that our strategic path will support our continued growth and stability in the coming quarters.”

Adjusted EBITDA came in at €14.6m (Q3 2023: €10.4m) reflecting a 48% margin, while group accounts booked ‘special items’ related to the company’s September split from GiG, capped at €600,000. 

With special items excluded, EBITDA witnessed an uptick of 36% YoY by growing to €14m (46% margin). Media cash flow operations were valued at €19.9m, while IFRS5 standard platform & sportsbook cash flow was €12.2m. 

In total, 58% of revenues were generated from recurring revenue share agreements, an increase of 24% YoY.

Despite headwinds in Norway, Europe-centric revenue increased 51% YoY, while revenue share from the Americas grew by 52%. This growth in the Americas was headlined by more than double digit growth in North America. 

Europe and the Americas stood as principal markets, contributing 59% and 21% of quarterly revenue respectively.

The post IGT, Flutter, GiG and New Zealand: the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

12%

Bally’s Corporation’s Q3 figures were headlined by UK growth as online revenues in the nation rose by almost 12% across the quarter, compared to Q3 2023 comparatives. 

However, overall International Interactive revenue fell by over 5% YoY due to non-UK market performances.

Bally’s declared company-wide revenue of $630m, down slightly YoY (Q3 2023: $632.5m). Per vertical, gaming revenue in Q3 rose to $523.9m (2023: $508.9m) while non-gaming revenue decreased to $106.1m (2023: $123.6m).

International Interactive revenue dropped by 5.3% YoY to $230.9m (2023: $243.9m), as CEO Robeson Reeves mentioned that the 11.8% YoY growth in the UK was offset “in part by lingering weakness in other non-UK markets, with a particular emphasis on the ongoing logistical challenges impacting business in Asia”.

Reeves noted that UK growth was “driven by all-time high active customer levels and robust Average Revenue per User metrics along with growing traction for our online sports betting offerings which include a newly launched Bally’s-branded product that joins our initial Jackpotjoy offering”.

Adjusted EBITDAR for the segment rose to $90m, up 5.3% in comparison to the same period the previous year (2023: $85.5m). 

Reeves said: “Flow-through in our International Interactive segment remains very healthy as a result of diligent UK marketing spend, management of compensation expenses along with the continued realisation of synergies from our technology platform consolidation.”

33%

Catena Media suffered a revenue dip for the third quarter, decreasing by 33% to €10.7m, whilst revenue from North America dropped by 29% to €19.5m.

As well as this, there was also a slight dip in new depositing customers from continuing operations which totalled 27,342 (Q3 2023: 40,104), a decrease of 32%.

CEO Manuel Stan commented on the firm’s performance: “From a top-line perspective, Q3 was a challenging quarter in which we saw revenue decline by 33%, driven by continued underperformance in online sports betting. Lower revenue also reflected the ending of certain media partnerships and changes made to other partner agreements.

“The flipside was that these cost-side measures lifted the adjusted EBITDA margin from 1%in July to 18% in September and double adjusted EBITDA quarter-over-quarter. Alongside this bottom-line improvement, we also saw a like-for-like increase in North American Casino revenue and incremental gains in our key organic search rankings, despite higher-than-usual volatility due to Google’s core updates.”

Stan also went on to provide a positive outlook for the firm’s North American casino operations as he revealed that the drop in revenue from €8.6m to €7.6m was ‘primarily a reflection of casino revenue related to prior quarters. 

He continued by stating that ‘excluding this, casino revenue rose slightly during the period, maintaining the year-over-year trend observed in Q2’.

20%

The Betting and Gaming Council has published its first Code Handbook, which includes an aim to make at least 20% of slot machine top screen imagery dedicated to safer gambling messaging.

The measures, which have already been implemented across the sector, include a trio of codes that have become part of License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) for members.

At the heart of the casino sector’s new guidance is ensuring that safer gambling messaging and increased information is prevalent within the land-based casino environment. 

Amongst other strategies one aims to ensure that slot machine safer gambling messaging is boosted – ‘outside of game play, at least 20% of slot machine top screen imagery to be dedicated to safer gambling messaging, where game and machine functionality permits’. 

As well as this, one strategy bids for safer gambling messaging to appear on slot machine receipts (referred to as TITO), promoting safer gambling and advice on staying in control, including the National Helpline phone number. 

These measures will apply across the diverse membership of the BGC, including land-based operators like casinos, which are a pillar of the hospitality and tourism sector, bookmakers on hard-pressed high streets and online gaming operators.

Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst, commented: “I am delighted to announce this new Code Handbook, which comprises over five years of determined work to raise standards, across the board.

“It is also entirely fitting that we publish this landmark new Code Handbook on our fifth anniversary. The BGC was founded as the industry’s standards body, and this Handbook draws together our sector’s combined efforts, under the leadership of the BGC, to raise standards on safer gambling in the UK.”

€402.9m

Super Group reported a 13% YoY revenue increase to €402.9m (Q3 2023: €356.9m), its highest revenue recorded ever in the third quarter. In constant currency, revenue rose by 15% to €410.9m.

The operator group noted that the revenue growth was “driven by growth from the Africa, Europe and North America (predominantly Canada) markets partially offset by declines from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets”.

Per product, online casino revenue for the company stood at €330.2m at the end of Q3 (2023: €277.1m), sports betting was €67.1m (2023: €64.6m), brand licensing was €3.7m (2023: €8.3m) and other revenue was €1.9m (2023: €6.9m).

Betway revenue stood at €239.4m (2023: €206.4m) while Spin revenue was €163.5m (2023: €150.5m). Monthly active customers during the quarter increased by 17% YoY to 4.7 million (2023: four million).

Revenue per region segment, Africa and Middle East stood at €151.2m (2023: €100.1m), followed by North America with €144.8m (2023: €134.1m), Europe with €67.4m (2023: €54m), Asia-Pacific with €33.7m (2023: €62m) and South/Latin America with €5.8m (2023: €6.7m).

“We achieved our strongest third quarter ever, highlighting the phenomenal progress we are making as a business,” commented Menashe.

“There is still tremendous potential as we experience super growth across our global casino brands, and particularly in Africa which we have scaled to be our largest region for the second quarter running.”

The post Bally’s, BGC, Catena Media and Super Group: the week in numbers appeared first on CasinoBeats.

10%

The UK Gambling Commission has reported an online total gross gambling yield (GGY) increase of over 10% year-over-year for the country’s gambling market in the second quarter of 2024.

Slots GGY also increased by more than 15% in comparison to the same period last year, but the Commission did include the caveat that one operator has re-classified some of its products, impacting the data.

Publishing its Q2 data for the UK gambling market – July to September – the Commission noted that online operator GGY data, covering approximately 80% of the online gambling market, stood at £1.32bn, an 11% increase YoY.

However, the quarter’s figure was down on the £1.46bn reported during the Q1 data release earlier this year in August.

The number of total bets and/or spins increased by 12% YoY in Q2 to hit a new high for the third consecutive quarter of 25.2 billion. Meanwhile, the average monthly active accounts in the quarter increased by 8%.

Slots GGY hit a new high as well with £680m in the quarter, up 16% YoY, as the number of spins grew by 13% to 23.3 billion, while the average monthly active accounts rose by 16% to 4.4 million per month. 

The number of online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour rose by 9% YoY to 10 million, while the average session length remained at 17 minutes. 

Approximately 6.1% of all sessions lasted more than one hour (Q2 2023: 6.6%), but the number of spins per session and the GGY per session has fallen in comparison to the same quarter the previous year to 142 (2023: 147) and £4.13 (2023: £4.20) respectively.

$4.18bn

MGM Resorts International declared a record Q3 consolidated net revenue of $4.18bn across the third quarter of 2024, up 5% YoY (Q3 2023: $3.97bn).

Net income attributable to MGM Resorts in the quarter was $185m (2023: $161m), while consolidated adjusted EBITDAR stood at $1.1bn.

Revenue per segment, casino was $2.12bn (2023: $2.1bn), rooms stood at $883.6m (2023: $827.1m), food and beverage came in at $755.3m (2023: $698.3m) while entertainment, retail and other was $411.3m (2023: $385.7m). Reimbursed costs were $11.9m (2023: $11.6m).

Operations per location, Las Vegas Strip Resorts revenue increased by 1% YoY to $2.13bn (2023: $2.11bn) due to “an increase in non-gaming revenue, partially offset by a decrease in casino revenue”.

Vegas’ adjusted property EBITDAR increased by 2% YoY to $731m (2023: $714m) and included “approximately $37m of business interruption insurance proceeds related to the September 2023 cybersecurity issue”.

Net revenues for regional operations rose by 3% YoY to $952m (2023: $925m) primarily due to casino revenue increasing. Regional adjusted Property EBITDAR stood at $300m (2023: $293m) and included approximately $15m of business interruption insurance proceeds related to the aforementioned cybersecurity issue.

MGM China revenue grew by 14% YoY to a record $929m (2023: $813m) as operations benefited from the removal of COVID-19-related restrictions which occurred in Q1 2023. The segment’s adjusted property EBITDAR increased by 5% to a new high of $237m (2023: $226m).

Revenue from BetMGM – MGM Resorts’ online joint venture in the US with Entain – increased by nearly 20% YoY, which the operator says was “more than doubling the revenue growth” achieved in Q2.

0

There was relief for UK gambling as previously no speculated tax rises for the industry were included in the 2024 budget. 

Delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the budget was Labour’s first for almost 15 years and saw tax increases of £40bn as she sought to secure economic stability for the UK. 

Reeves emphasised that it was essential for the government to take such drastic action, taking aim at the economy and a £22bn black-hole that her party inherited from its Conservative predecessors. 

However, the plans drew significant criticism from opposition leader Rishi Sunak, who accused Labour of “fiddling the figures” and going back on manifesto promises. 

Amidst much speculation however, there was relief for UK Gambling as it continues on a path of regulatory overhaul with the news that gross gaming yield bandings will be frozen from 1 April 2025 to 30 March 2026. 

There were also plans announced for reform of remote gambling duty – aligning gambling offered over the internet, telephone, TV and radio into a single tax, in a bid to “close loopholes in the system”. 

$2.87bn

Publishing its Q3 results, Caesars Entertainment reported a total revenue for the quarter of $2.87bn, down 2.6% YoY (Q3 2023: $2.99bn).

Revenue per segment, Las Vegas fell by 1.3% YoY to $1.06bn (2023: $1.12bn), Regional decreased by 7.6% to $1.45bn (2023: $1.57bn) and Caesars Digital increased by 40.9% to $303m (2023: $215m).

Elsewhere, Managed and Branded revenue declined by 30.6% YoY to $68m (2023: $98m) while Corporate and Other revenue fell to minus $5m (2023: minus $4m).

Looking at online operations closer, CEO Tom Reeg mentioned during Caesars’ Q3 earnings call that Caesars Digital increases were supported by icasino growing by 83% during the quarter.

Caesars’ net income came in at a loss of $9m (2023: $74m net income), while adjusted EBITDA stayed flat at $1bn.

Adjusted EBITDA per segment, Las Vegas fell by 2.1% YoY to $472m (2023: $482m), Regional declined by 13.4% to $498m (2023: $575m) and Caesars Digital came in at $52m (2023: $2m).

Reeg noted that Caesars Digital’s adjusted EBITDA was a new all-time quarterly record “driven by over 40% growth in net revenues”.

Managed and Branded adjusted EBITDA fell by 5% YoY to $19m (2023: $20m) while Corporate and Other adjusted EBITDA dropped by 11.1% to minus $40m (2023: minus $36m).

As of 30 September, Caesars had $12.7bn in aggregate principal  debt outstanding. Total cash and cash equivalents were $802m, excluding restricted cash of $124m.

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86%

iGaming Ontario (iGO) has once again reported total wagers of over CAD$18bn in its second quarter of 2024-25 fiscal year (Q3 2024), with online casino having an 86% share of the Canadian province’s total wagers.

From Ontario’s 51 operators with 83 gaming websites in Q2, iGO reported that total wagers for the quarter, not including promotional wagers (bonuses), stood at $18.7bn, a 1.6% increase in comparison to the previous quarter and a 31.7% increase year-over-year.

Total gaming revenue rose in comparison to the previous quarter and YoY, rising by 1.7% and 35.4% respectively to $738m. 

iGO stated that the total gaming revenue figure “represents total cash wagers, including rake fees, tournament fees, and other fees, across all Operators, minus player winnings derived from cash wagers and does not take into account operating costs or other liabilities”.

In Q2, iGO noted that over 1.32 million player accounts were active, with the average monthly spend per account being $308.

Per vertical, total wagers in casino (slots, live and computer-based table games and peer-to-peer bingo) stood at $16bn, 86% of the total during the quarter. Casino gaming revenue was $553m, 75% of the total gaming revenue.

Betting (sports, esports, proposition and novelty bets, as well as exchange betting) had a total wagers amount of $2.2bn, 12% of Q2’s total. Betting’s gaming revenue amounted to $167m, 23% of the total during the quarter.

€280.1m

Betsson reported a group revenue increase of 18% compared to the same period last year to €280.1m (Q3 2023: €237.6m). 

In constant currencies and adjusted for acquisition, revenue rose by 50.6% YoY. Share of revenue from locally regulated markets (€163m) increased to 58% (2023: €106m/45%). 

Licence revenue for system delivery to B2B customers stood at €66.7m (2023: €55.9m), with new customers added and further sportsbook trading capabilities achieved through the 2022 acquisition of KickerTech, in addition to improvements and investments in casino and sportsbook products.

Customer activity rose in the quarter, with deposits rising by 19.8% YoY and reaching an all-time high of €1.48bn (2023: €1.24bn). Registered customers grew to 31.1 million, up 5.9% (2023: 29.4 million), while active customers increased by 9.8% to 1,357,953 (2023: 1,237,238).

Betsson’s EBITDA rose by 17% YoY to €80.3m (2023: €68.9m), with a margin of 28.7% (2023: 29%). EBIT increased by 15% to €64.5m (2023: €56m), with a margin of 23% (2023: 23.6%). 

Net income fell slightly to €43.4m (2023: €46.2m), with earnings per share at €0.31 (2023: €0.35). Operating cash flow at the end of the quarter was €62.5m (2023: €44.9m), while net debt was €-128.3m (2023: €-65.5m).

“Yet again, new record levels in revenue and EBIT in the third quarter,” commented Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson.

“The high customer activity continued during the third quarter with new record levels in customer deposits and gaming turnover. Yet again Betsson reports quarterly records in revenue and EBIT, which means the eleventh quarter in a row with sequential growth on the EBIT level.”

60%

Evolution CEO Martin Carlesund revealed the situation for the firm in Georgia is “stable” with its studio currently operating at around 60% capacity, a level that it hopes will remain after significant disruption caused by union strike action.

Updating investors, Carlesund revealed that the Georgian studio will not return to full capacity after the strike due to “instability”. Nonetheless, he added that with over 20 studios globally, they are able to offset lost capacity and limit the impact on their customers. 

Carlesund stated that Evolution “fully supports” the right of workers to be part of a union. However, after much dialogue with the union in Georgia, he described their demands as “simply unreasonable”.

He went on to accuse the unions and the media of spreading “a lot of disinformation and blunt lies”, emphasising the importance of them acting in line with legislation as well as union values. 

One of the key falsehoods that Carlesund stated had been spread was around the size of the strikes, as he stated around 300 staff were involved as it initially started, which caused minimal impact on the firm’s day-to-day operations. 

This then escalated according to Carlesund, when “a small number of non-employees and union activists illegally blocked the entrance to the workplace, behaving violently, vandalising the building and harassing working staff’, which caused “severe disruptions” and led to the “sad outcome” of them moving operations. 

“Naturally the outcome of this is not positive for customers” said Carlesund, who added that he recently met with regulators in Georgia who “see through the situation with the unions and base their judgements on facts and not social media”. 

98%

Groupe Française des Jeux (FDJ) has announced that its shareholding in Kindred Group has increased to over 98% following the conclusion of its public tender offer extension.

Earlier this month, the French gambling group completed its acquisition of Unibet and 32Red operator for nearly €2.5bn, a transaction that had been in the works since an offer of SEK 130 in cash per Swedish Depository Receipt (SDRs) was submitted back in January this year.

Following the end of the first settlement delivery of the offer on 11 October, FDJ held 91.77% of Kindred’s share capital, tendering 195,659,291 Kindred SDRs, representing 90.66% of the group’s capital, alongside acquiring 2,400,000 Kindred SDRs directly from Veralda, representing 1.11% of the group’s share capital.

However, at the time, FDJ extended its offer to 18 October to allow for Kindred shareholders who have not tendered their shares to do so on unchanged terms. With that date now passed, the group has announced that an additional 14,734,917 Kindred SDRs were tendered, representing 6.83% of the share capital.

Following settlement delivery of the extended offer, expected to take place on 29 October, FDJ’s shareholding in Kindred will therefore be 98.6%.

Since FDJ holds over 90% of Kindred’s share capital, the group intends to “request the implementation of the squeeze-out procedure” following Kindred’s articles of association to acquire all the shares not tendered in the public offer, delisting Kindred’s SDRs from Nasdaq Stockholm.

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Each of the studio’s best-performing slot releases kept their positions in the top slots charts, while two new titles flew into several top games tables. 

IGT reclaimed its leading position in the Canadian supplier charts, while further supplier shake-ups were witnessed as Games Global jumped ahead of Evolution to secure a place in the top three. 

US round-up

IGT’s Cash Eruption slot continues to prove itself as a mainstay in the top slots by GGR charts, coming in first place for yet another month. The title regained some of the GGR share that it lost from August to September, as its portion of GGR rose from 2.7% to 2.88%. 

Last month’s second place finisher in the GGR charts Live Dealer Roulette from Evolution fell to fourth place as its GGR share dropped from 1.57% to 1.18%, as Aristocrat’s Buffalo and Blackjack from IGT leaping over the title to finish in second and third place with 1.68% and 1.4%, respectively. 

7s Fire Blitz from White Hat Studios stormed into the top five with a 1.16% GGR share after not appearing in the top 25 last month. 

From the top games per GGR, 16 were slot titles, three were table games and six were live casino titles, with no video poker games making the top 25 for just the second time this year. 

Unsurprisingly, Cash Eruption remained in pole position in the top games overall charts, while last month’s second place Triple Stones from Gamecode dropped into third place, replaced by IGT’s Blackjack title, which rose from fourth place in September. 

AGS’ Capital Gains slot stepped up from sixth place to take fourth spot in October’s charts, while Live Dealer Lightning Roulette rounded out the top five, dropping from September’s third place. 

Two new rankings made it into the top 10, as 7s Fire Blitz and Games Global’s Hyper Gold All In secured sixth and seventh place respectively. 

This caused a slight shift for last month’s top 10 finishers, as Crazy Time from Evolution fell from fifth to eighth, Craps by Internal remained in ninth place and Evolution’s Live Dealer Baccarat dropped from eight to 10th place. 

Turning onto the top slots charts, it was a stalwart month for the top three slots as Cash Eruption, Triple Stones and Capital Gains each kept their place at the top of the pile, in that order. 

Meanwhile, the two new rankings that flew towards the top of the top games charts did the same for the slots table, as 7s Fire Blitz and Hyper Gold All In took fourth and fifth place. 

For a second month in a row, 12 suppliers were represented in the top slots charts. Light & Wonder, Evolution, Aristocrat, Reel Play, Everi, Inspired and Greentube each had at least one slot appearing in the top 25. 

A bunch of new rankings and shifting slots from September’s top 10 made up the top new game rankings, with Triple Stones leading the pack for another month. 

Furthermore, 7s Fire Blitz and Hyper Gold All In secured second and third place, respectively, while 3x Ultra Diamond from AGS remained in fourth place. Super Boom Boom Boom from Gamecode rounded out the top five, climbing slightly from September’s sixth place. 

Dark Waters Power Combo and 333 Fat Frogs Power Combo, each from Games Global, took sixth and seventh place, with the former dropping from last month’s second place finish and the latter remaining in the same position. 

Cash Machine Jackpots by Everi dropped from fifth to eighth while new rankings Starlight Jackpots Athena Goddess of War from Greentube and Egglink Chicken Fox from L&W came in ninth and 10th.

As per usual, each game that appeared in the top 25 new games was a slot release. 

Evolution led the supplier charts for consecutive months, securing the largest portion of GGR share with 18% (September: 17.9%). IGT and L&W also kept their positions in the supplier charts with 17.4% (September: 16.2%) and approximately 13.4% (September: 13.4%), respectively. 

Meanwhile, Games Global lost percentage points in the supplier charts for consecutive months by dropping from 8.4% to 7.4%, while White Hat gained some traction by coming in with 5.6% (September: 5.2%). 

Slots remained the dominant segment for total games tracked, with a total of 91.5%, ahead of table games which stood at 3.3%. 

Instant win was next with 2.2%, just ahead of live casino’s 1.4%, video poker’s 0.9 per cent, lottery’s 0.3% and bingo/keno’s 0.3%. 

Mobile recorded the highest percentage of theoretical win generated per vertical with 72%, followed by desktop at 27% and tablet at 1%. 

The latest US Eilers-Fantini report examined data from Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut across 28 online casino sites, tracking 67,740 games to represent around 64% of the US market.

Canada figures

Eilers & Krejcik’s Canadian report continues to provide statistics on the nation’s online casino industry, covering nine online casino sites to track 17,557 games across five provinces. 

Yet again, Cash Eruption kept its position atop Canada’s most-played games by GGR chart but with the exact same portion of GGR, 2.09%.

The slot gained a considerable portion of GGR share compared to the rest of the competition, more than doubling Evolution’s Live Dealer Roulette title which climbed from fourth to second place with 0.84%. 

Last month’s second place finisher, Cleopatra by IGT, dropped into third place with a 0.82% GGR share, followed by its Big City 5s slot which gained 0.67%. Lucky Larry Lobstermania 2, also from IGT, came in fifth place with another 0.67% GGR share. 

IGT leaped over L&W in the Canadian supplier charts to lead the pack, claiming a 17.1% GGR share (September: 15.87%) which pipped L&W’s 15.42%.

Games Global outperformed Evolution to knock the latter from third place to fourth, claiming the bronze medal position for itself with 12.62% (September: 11.99%). Evolution claimed 11.4%, dropping from last month’s 12.11%. 

Pragmatic Play remained in fifth place by securing 10.27% of the GGR share, a slight drop from last month’s 10.81%. 

If interested in learning more, subscribing, or participating in the Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Database reach out to Rick Eckert at reckert@ekgamingllc.com.

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50%

The UK gambling industry could be facing a 50% remote gaming duty tax, as new Chancellor Rachel Reeves searches for revenue-raising measures ahead of a tough first Autumn Budget.

The Guardian reported that one of the ideas being given serious consideration by the Treasury is major changes to the UK’s complex array of gambling taxes. Unlike many of the tax ideas that have been floated by government sources in recent weeks, this one has received little pushback from Whitehall officials, according to the newspaper. 

Plans for the increase reportedly stem from two influential think tanks, which according to the Guardian are also backed by one of the party’s most significant donors. 

A central theme of the Labour government’s initial 100 days in charge has been their commitment to plugging a £22bn gap that they claimed was left by the previous tenure. 

Online casino games are thought to be at the centre of potential tax hikes, as part of a campaign pushed by multimillionaire Labour donor, Derek Webb. 

Webb, who has elevated his stature as a Labour donor in recent years, was also key for the campaign to restrict maximum stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, a regulation that had a major impact on the retail gaming sector. 

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which put forward the proposals, said as much as £2.9bn could be raised now, a figure growing to  £3.4bn by 2030 through the increasing of remote gaming duty to 50%, more than double the 21% it currently sits at. 

Additionally, another think tank backed by Webb, the Social Market Foundation, is reportedly looking at a proposal that would have a smaller impact on the industry, but still strengthen government finances. 

Despite it being seen as a diluted increase in taxes, the plans would still be likely to double taxes paid by gambling companies – another move that would likely lead to backlash from the sector. 

£417m

evoke revenue for the third quarter of 2024 was fuelled by a positive trajectory of gaming for the firm, which grew by 10%. Overall revenue increased by 3% to £417m. 

These figures caused the group to confirm expectations for the second half of 2024 are in line with the mid-term target of 5-9% year-over-year growth.

The quarter marks the first time that the operator has reported growth since the opening quarter of 2022, as it shifts focus from the UK.

It underlines a period of transformation for the operator under the leadership of CEO Per Widerström, with the operator reporting year-to-date revenues standing at £1.27bn (-1%).

Widerström commented: “I have now been in position for a year, and I am pleased that the turnaround of the business is working, with the first quarter of revenue growth since Q1 2022 and positive underlying trends. 

“We are achieving our plans to improve trading in the short-term, while simultaneously radically transforming the Group’s capabilities for the long-term.”

10%

Entain has stated that its performance in the third quarter of 2024 was “ahead of expectations”, as online net gaming revenue (NGR) has risen by up to 10% year-over-year.

However, newly appointed CEO Gavin Isaacs also apprised investors regarding the impact of a potential tax increase on the UK gambling market. Isaacs noted that such increases would “have a materially, detrimental impact on the economic contribution of wider industry”.

The gaming group reiterated its update from last month that its UK&I online operations have returned to YoY growth “sooner than expected”, adding that all key markets delivered growth during the quarter as well.

Following the “stronger than expected” Q3, Entain has upgraded its guidance for FY24 to expect online proforma NGR growth to be mid-single-digit positive on a constant currency basis, as the operator has “increased confidence for the balance of the year.”

Isaacs, who was confirmed as CEO of Entain at the beginning of September, added that the company is “already on a path of strategic and operational improvement”.

£197.4m

Rank Group has lauded a positive period of growth, as UK casino engagement fuelled a net gaming revenue (NGR) increase of 12% to £197.4m. 

For the group’s first quarter reporting period, ending 30 September 2024, Rank saw a 10% increase in land-based NGR, as Grosvenor saw a 13% increase in NGR to £95.3m. 

John O’Reilly, Chief Executive, commented: “We have continued to build on the momentum that we have generated over the past year and a half, and I am very pleased with our start to this financial year.” 

“Rank is now a stronger and more sustainable business, and we are looking forward to the land-based legislative reforms coming to fruition in 2025.”

There was also significant growth for the firm’s Mecca operations, as the NGR of venues grew by 4%, driven by a 5% increase in spend per visit with visits down 1%. 

Furthermore, for its two flagship brands, Mecca and Grosvenor overall digital NGR rose by 15%, as both brands enjoyed significant engagement. 

A$13.1m

The High Court of Australia has ordered SkyCity Entertainment Group to pay an additional A$13.1m (approx €8m) in casino duty to the Treasurer of South Australia over a dispute about loyalty points and gaming revenue.

The dispute was over the interpretation of the Casino Duty Agreement dated 27 October 1999, regarding the “treatment of loyalty points converted to gaming machine play for the purpose of calculating casino duty at the SkyCity Adelaide casino”.

In a statement, the operator said the High Court ruled against SkyCity, confirming the South Australian Court of Appeal’s interpretation of the agreement of “credits on gaming machines arising from the conversion of loyalty points, when played by customers, are to be included in gaming revenue for the purpose of calculating casino duty at the SkyCity Adelaide casino”.

As such, SkyCity Adelaide is now obliged to pay an additional A$10.3m casino duty in addition to A$2.8m “of additional casino duty payable as a consequence of that part of the Court of Appeal’s earlier judgement that was not appealed to the High Court”.

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